There is a popular notion that vegetarians are mild and gentle folk who would not hurt a fly. Perhaps they would not hurt a fly. As to this, I cannot speak, but their charity towards flies certainly does not extend to human beings. Perhaps the most powerful argument in favour of a vegetarian diet is the vigour and pugnacity which it gives to those who practice it.

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "There is a popular notion that vegetarians are mild and gentle folk who would not hurt a fly. Perhaps they would not hurt a fly. As to this, I cannot speak, but their charity towards flies certainly does not extend to human beings. Perhaps the most powerful argument in favour of a vegetarian diet is the vigour and pugnacity which it gives to those who practice it." in the context of "Bertrand Russell, "On the fierceness of vegetarians" (13 April 1932), in Mortals and Others (Routledge Classics, 2009), pp. 77–78." to mean that wisdom is timeless.